Mass Graves Unearthed in Colombia

by Jordan Yerman | May 6, 2007 at 07:44 am

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Once again, the earth spits up proof of conflicts that most of us never hear about. Columbia has been involved in a complicated civil war (are any of them simple?) between the existing government and right- and left-wing rebel groups. As peace deals begin to emerge, stories are coming to light about how civilians have been crushed between these opposing forces.

Colombian authorities have uncovered the mass graves of more than 100 people believed to have been killed during the country's long-running civil conflict.

Interior Minister Carlos Holguin said he was horrified by the discoveries near the town of La Hormiga, in the southern province of Putumayo.

The government was told of the graves after a peace deal with the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC).

The right-wing paramilitary group has been blamed for many massacres.

Described by the UN as one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, the conflict between state forces, including the AUC, and left-wing rebel groups, such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc), has left tens of thousands of Colombians dead.